Illinois would see the largest tax increase in its history under Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s plan to provide health care for the uninsured and ramp up state support for education. Blagojevich also called Wednesday for leasing the state lottery to a private contractor and borrowing billions of dollars in a bid to solve the state’s most pressing financial problem – pension systems soaking up more and more of Illinois’ tax money.
Connecticut lawmakers unveiled legislation Wednesday that would require MySpace.com and other social-networking sites to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent before minors can post profiles. The bill comes a day after a man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for using MySpace.com to set up a sexual encounter with an 11-year-old Connecticut girl.
After spending a day indoors quizzing Chicago officials about their bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, a U.S. Olympic Committee inspection team began exploring the city Wednesday. The itinerary for a second day of touring was to include existing venues as well as proposed sites where others would be built if Chicago is chosen to host the 2016 Games. Los Angeles is the only other American candidate.
At least two people can claim a share of a record $370 million lottery jackpot. There could be more winners – California was still checking its Mega Millions results Wednesday morning, officials said. One winning ticket was traced to a Campark Liquors in Woodbine, N.J., and another to a market in Dalton, Ga., lottery representatives in the two states said Wednesday.
A suicide bomber killed more than 30 people Wednesday in a cafe northeast of Baghdad, and three American soldiers died when a roadside bomb exploded northwest of the capital, authorities said. The bomber blew himself up in a restaurant in Balad Ruz, 45 miles northeast of Baghdad, a police officer said on condition of anonymity. Dozens were wounded, he said.
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Wednesday that he was not aware that he had invested in two companies backed by some of his top donors. He said he did nothing to aid their business before the government.
